Sorry for the long wait! Here's an extra long chapter to make up for it.

xxx

Ryuko jerked back before Satsuki could react, nearly biting her own tongue off. Still, she could barely breathe, barely see, her whole body aglow with the pleasure of a long-repressed fantasy yet haunted and aching with the horrors scorched into the front of her mind.

Oh, God, what have I done? Why would I do that to her, after… Ryuko bit her lip, tears springing to her eyes as her cheeks burned hot with shame. I'm one of them… No, NO! Sudden bile ripped up from her stomach and Ryuko rushed to the bathroom to empty her stomach.

The picture of surprise, Satsuki sat up, back perfectly straight, her brain frozen. Very softly, she pressed the back of her hand against her tingling lips.

Was that my…first kiss? Soroi had always reassured her from a young age that it didn't count if you didn't want it, and although she wasn't sure she believed in "doesn't count" anymore, Satsuki felt a sudden bloom of heat under her skin as she asked herself if she wanted to kiss Ryuko. A sudden, hot shudder passed through her and Satsuki rounded her shoulders, ears warm.

I… I wasn't expecting it at all. I couldn't have wanted it. Satsuki shook herself out of her daze, one corner of her mouth twisting. Still a lip virgin after all, I suppose. That thought was a little too much, too sickly sweet, for her taste, and the other corner of her mouth joined its fellow to create the firm line of frown.

"Ryuko…?" she called, softly. Concern began to lace through the webbing of her thoughts as the silence from the bathroom dragged on through disproportionate lengths. Sighing, Satsuki raked her eyes over the room, noticing the bruised but still-working laptop on the floor by Ryuko's recently-vacated seat. The lid was open slightly but facing away from her, and sudden curiosity sparked to an insistent roar. For one single moment, Satsuki had no troubles, no intricate plan, no questions, no past - she was merely a being that lived to see what was on that laptop, to see what had sent the rough and carefree Matoi Ryuko running for the toilet.

Ryuko, in the meantime, sat with her face in her hands, seeing tears drip onto her knees without feeling them. She felt as if her whole being was shuddering, her organs trembling inside her. An image, raw and burning, would flash before her eyes, and to her great shame her body reacted with sudden arousal before the fire was quickly doused with a flood of horror and illness. She gripped her hair and pulled, teeth gritted as she rocked slightly on the toilet lid.

What the fuck did I see…? That couldn't…and then I? Who-? Ryuko's vision suddenly cleared and she sat up, raking a hand through her hair. Everything, all the emotion, the thoughts, the tears, dragged to a gritty halt as Ryuko closed her mind like a steel trap. Nervously, she wiped her face with her sleeve, knowing full well that the dam she had built within herself could crack and overflow at any second.

Standing suddenly and wiping her hands on her jeans, Ryuko sniffed once, hard, and yanked the door open. Her heart froze in her chest, clenching into a tiny ball of panic, as she saw that Satsuki had shifted to the couch and had pulled the laptop up with her.

Her first thought was: Oh, goddamn it, I am so screwed.

Then: I'm just gonna kiss the hell out of her. I'll just take her hair and never let it go and I'll use it like a scarf and just bury my face in it when it gets cold and kiss her whenever I want and then she'll smile and I'll say 'you never smile' and she'll say 'now I have a reason to' and then we'll just hug forever and ever but then-

The third thought had to manually shove the second to the side with a unique blend of utter terror and raging guilt.

MATOI, MOVE!

Ryuko somehow managed to yank her expression out of the doofy grin that had melted all over her face and leapt. As casually as she could, she dropped sideways over the laptop and shut it with her side, pretending she was just leaping from the bathroom to the couch for no reason. Propping her head on her hand, Ryuko looked up at Satsuki, trying to force a relaxed grin.

"Hey, so…"

The smile wilted from her face as Ryuko stared up into Satsuki's drawn face. She had gone so pale that from her lower vantage point Ryuko could see the blue of her veins under her jaw line.

Too late…

"Wait, Satsuki, it's not-"

Slowly, so slowly, Satsuki stood, her eyes dark in her hardened face. The words on Ryuko's tongue died as she began to feel so incredibly small. The dam in her mind began to crack and leak and she bit down on her now-trembling lower lip.

No, please don't. Don't.

"You were in my house. Is this why? Is this why you broke into my home, journalist?" Ryuko winced but could say nothing, her tongue a cinderblock in her mouth. Satsuki's lips parted slightly as she struggled for air, her chest aching as another small part of her died, drawing her closer to her inescapable breaking point. For one pure moment a flash of hurt scrawled across her pale features before being swallowed up by the stony hardness of her face. Ryuko almost howled, almost died, at that expression, and quickly she scrambled to sit up.

"No, Satsuki, no, it was an acci-" Ryuko grunted and choked as Satsuki's heel drove onto her chest, pinning her to the couch.

"You may address me as Miss Kiryuin… No. Kiki, I am Kiki to you." Ryuko sobbed once, willing the tears to stay inside.

"I swear…"

"It was an accident? An accident that you snuck into my home in broad daylight to steal my mother's computer? You were just looking around and it fell into your hands?" Satsuki scoffed and pushed harder into Ryuko's sternum before releasing her, turning her back. Suddenly, she twirled back around, cheeks bright red.

"And then… after… after you satisfied your sick fascination with me, with… my… my awful… " Satsuki paused, eyes deadening. "You kissed me!?"

"I just… I just wanted to help."

Satsuki slapped her. She didn't bother to lean down for better reach, she just swung her hand down and around to connect sharply against Ryuko's cheek. Ryuko didn't look back up at her, choosing instead to gnaw on her own knuckle as she stared at the print on the slipcover.

"Give it to me." Brooking no argument, Satsuki held out her hand for the computer. To her great surprise, Ryuko picked it up, closing it and clutching it to her chest.

"No."

Satsuki's breath caught, but she cleverly disguised it as a slow, intimidating drag of breath. To Ryuko, she seemed to grow impossibly taller and whiter to the point of shining. The silence dragged on, and so Ryuko gripped the machine tighter and licked her lips.

"I'm taking it to the police." As soon as she said it, Ryuko flinched at herself. Why did I say that? I'm not even going to ask her what the hell is going on? What the fuck do I know, anyway!? Damn you, Ryuko!

Satsuki laughed in a short, unpleasant puff, then went to slap Ryuko again. Ryuko dodged and stood up, cheeks red and breath short.

"You have anything to say?" Ryuko started, angry, standing on her tiptoes. Satsuki blinked, shocked.

"Do I? Do I have anything to say, you miserable cretin?"

"Yeah!" Ryuko steeled herself, puffing out her chest. "What are you doing… I mean, what are you even doing?!" Despite her lack of eloquence, Satsuki understood Ryuko's meaning exactly. At another time, she might have softened, might have offered a bit of reassurance, but, to put it shortly, Satsuki was pissed. Baring her teeth, Satsuki grabbed Ryuko by her collar and smashed her into the nearest wall, sending tacky pictures of cartoon rabbits flying everywhere. Despite the shock of the impact, Ryuko refused to release the computer in her grasp and just stared defiantly up at Satsuki. "How, dare you? How… dare you?

"You've been following me around. I had to save you because you don't know when to keep your nose to yourself. You broke into my home, stole from my family, kidnapped me, kissed me, and you have the nerve to ask me if I have anything to say?!"

Ryuko tried to pay attention. It was all true, Satsuki was making some good points, but Ryuko couldn't help but be distracted by Mako's sudden appearance into the room. Trying to be discreet, Ryuko nodded and bit her lip while looking over Satsuki's shoulder, watching Mako open the pantry door and gesticulate wildly before silently going on all fours behind Satsuki's knees, giving her the thumbs up and a wide grin.

Satsuki had her iron fingers on the computer now, and for a long moment Ryuko considered letting her have it. Her habitual defiance, however, refused to let this opportunity slip through her grasp and she suddenly put her shoulder into Satsuki's stomach, shoving her backwards with all her strength.

Mako hooted like the head cheerleader as Satsuki tripped over her and tumbled into the pantry, sending boxes of cheez-its and fruit gushers tumbling onto her head. Moving faster than thought, Mako closed the door and locked it with the bolt on the outside, turning just as rapidly to high-five a very dazed Ryuko.

"Yay, we did it!"

"Mako… why did you do that?"

"I'm just helping you kidnap that girl! You didn't try very hard the first time." She beamed.

"You… thought I kidnapped her on purpose? No, and you were okay with that?"

"Sure! Share the love, that's what I always say!" Ryuko had to nearly physically stop herself from thinking about the implications of that reply. Instead, she took a deep breath and leaned her shoulder against the pantry door.

"Will you talk to me now? Just talk? Please, I want to help!" The low register of the reply made the door vibrate under Ryuko's hand, making her shudder and lean more heavily against the door.

"Fuck you."

"I'll let you out if you agree to talk to me."

"Yeah, c'mon, it's okay!" Mako added, sounding like she was trying to entice a puppy with a milk-bone. There was a long silence and Ryuko rapped on the door, angry.

"Look, dipshit, you can let me help you or you can go home and get raped again, I don't care." As soon as the words left her mouth, Ryuko hated herself so violently that her body nearly rejected her soul and she would have died on the spot if she hadn't just then slapped herself hard in the face. Goddamn it, Ryuko! "Oh my God, I'm so sorr-"

An impact like a train hitting the door rattled the entire apartment, and a long, vertical crack showed through the door. For a single instant, one ice-blue eye stared through the crack, chilling Ryuko to the bone with its glare before disappearing again. Another impact struck the door and one of the hinges popped its bolt. Happily, Mako threw open the front door and crowed,

"Run, Ryuko! Run like the wind!"

Not knowing what else to do, Ryuko snatched up her backpack and her violin case and ran like hell.

xxx

Nine years ago:

Ryuko held her breath as she tiptoed into her father's study, shaking her dying flashlight as if to encourage it to keep trucking on. She wasn't exactly sure what she was looking for, but the idea of "off-limits" was utterly irresistible to her. Carefully, she looked over her shoulder before easing open the bottom drawer of the desk (to her mind, the most secret of places) Suddenly careless, she scattered its contents onto the floor, intent on perusing every scrap of paper.

To her great disappointment, the majority of it was statistical. Scrawls of letters and abbreviated jargon on boring sheets of massive graph paper. No doubt it would have been of intense interest to another scientist, but to thirteen-year-old Ryuko, it was a massive waste of time. Yawning, she suddenly realized why it was a bad idea to stay up past midnight before a school day, and, suddenly filled with intense adolescent ennui, she carelessly shuffled the papers together to shove back into the drawer.

Her eye was suddenly caught by a tiny picture shifting from between two charts and fluttering to the ground. Snatching it up and nearly cackling, Ryuko brought it so close to her face that it nearly touched her nose, but then the shadow of her head blocked her flashlight so she reluctantly viewed it from a distance.

Is that… Dad?

The man in the photo was tall and unstooped, broad-shouldered and handsome - in a word, nothing like her father. Elements of him peeked through, however, in the red of his hair, the shine of his eyes, and the baby quirk in his rare smile. Ryuko couldn't help but smile back at him as she stared at the picture.

Wait a sec, is that me? It doesn't look like me. Did I ever look like such a prep?

A sudden flood of light startled Ryuko and she yelped, squinting, throwing the back of the hand holding the picture in front of her eyes. The photo was roughly torn from her grasp and Ryuko blinked nervously into the face of her livid father.

"Get out."

"But, Dad…"

"Get out before I lose my patience. You know you're not supposed to be in here." Despite his calm tone, Ryuko knew by the bulging vein on his beet-red forehead that she was in some serious trouble. "I don't want to see you again until you're back from school tomorrow."

"Dad…" she whispered as she skulked out of the room. "Won't you drive me to school?"

"You're old enough to take the metro."

xxx

"Why won't you play with me, Kiki?"

Satsuki didn't bother to look up from the blueprints spread across her desk.

"That really depends on what 'play' means today."

"Oh, you know." Nui leaned across Satsuki's chair, idly brushing her fingers through a lock of black hair. "This and that, getting into trouble together like real sisters."

"We are real sisters, Nui," Satsuki spared a glance to rake her eyes over Nui before returning to her desk, "At least I must assume so until more evidence surfaces."

"Always so funny…" Nui's fingers curled around Satsuki's throat, not yet bothering to tighten. "Silly Satsuki." Irritated, Satsuki shook her off, standing. Nui frowned, pursing her lips before closing her eyes noncommittally and rocking back and forth on her heels.

"Aren't you a little young for those heels?"

"Aren't you a little young to dress like a World War II vet?" Satsuki shrugged, stepping back to the desk to pick up her phone. Nui's fingers caught her around the wrist. Raising an eyebrow, Satsuki straightened, looming over her sister.

"Do you really want to do this, imouto?" Nui scoffed a little at the false affection, keeping her eyes closed. Her other hand took Satsuki by the elbow and gently steered her back into her chair.

"Nui, I need to call my architect- "

"Ugh, I hate your stupid school." Satsuki's sister pinched her ears between her fingers, pulling her head against the backrest of the chair. "I hate it and it doesn't even exist yet."

"Mother has explained to you why it is necessary. I don't think she'd like to hear you complaining about it."

"Don't give me that. You love the stupid thing. You just want to move away and leave me all by myself." Satsuki rolled her eyes, frustration boiling in the pit of her stomach.

"That's not true. Now, I'm very busy, so if you could just-"

"Kiki," Nui interrupted her, leaning back, tugging on her sister's ears. "Help me with one of my outfits." Nui's eyes had closed again, a tiny, close-lipped smile spreading over her face. Satsuki sighed. It was always a little unnerving when Nui got this way. "I'll make it fit you just right, sew it into your skin, right along the seams so you wouldn't feel a thing." Her hands were rubbing across her shoulders now, pinching at the fabric of her shirt. "You'd never have to wear something like this again. I'd be sewn right into you."

"Stop it, Nui."

"Why are you always so cold? C'mon, don't be that way. Hm… my fingers are tingling."

Good god, Satsuki thought, She's eleven years old. This has to sto- Satsuki choked on her thought as Nui's fingers fumbled with the buttons on her collar, slipping inside. A roar of white static burst through her consciousness, wiping out all rational thought. Yanking her knees up to her chest, Satsuki jammed her feet against her desk, throwing her chair over backwards . She head Nui shriek as the heavy wood crashed on top of her, followed by a sharp, brittle crack.

Rolling to the side and breathing heavily, Satsuki pulled the chair back upright and stared down at Nui, her chest dry and empty. Mouth open in shock, Nui stared down at her right knee, twisted into an impossible angle. Her open mouth suddenly twisted, squirming, and she started to scream, bawling like a baby.

Dazed, Satsuki stood and wrenched the door open and walked out, resisting the unbearable urge to cover her ears to escape from the horrible groaning of Nui's bones as they realigned themselves, each creak punctuated by a shriek of animal rage.

Satsuki was surprised when she found herself unscathed a few days later. She had a meeting with her mother to finalize the plans for Honnouji Academy. With a little under a year before the first term, Satsuki was beginning to feel antsy and nervous. This meeting had to go perfectly; she had everything to lose.

I'll appease Nui later, I must put everything I have into this project. Lovingly, Satsuki stroked the handle of Bakuzan, the massive sword her father had left her. I will carry on your mission, Father, I'll do whatever it takes.

A few minutes into her presentation, Satsuki noticed that her mother seemed distracted, frowning a little at each of her new points. Swallowing and shifting her stance a little, Satsuki paused.

"Do you have a question, Mother?" Kiryuin Ragyo leaned sideways into her seat, propping her elbow on the armrest and cocking her head to brush her own cheek with her fingers.

"The purpose of these schools, as we discussed, is to break down the more powerful resistance of the young through reliance on goku uniforms, is that correct?"

"Yes, as I mentioned earli-" Ragyo waved her hand, silencing her.

"And yet, all that is necessary for our final end is the widespread use of the REVOCs brand. Why are you going to such lengths, Satsuki dear? Is there something on your mind?" Satsuki's heart pounded heavily in her chest, but she kept her face composed. Where is this coming from? She was completely on board a few weeks ago.

"I believed it better to ensure our final success, Mother."

"Indeed." Ragyo stood, choosing instead to lean upon the desk. "And yet it has been brought to my attention that your scheme puts a pressing time restraint upon my workings. If I agree to your schools, then we absolutely must have one hundred percent of the market under control within the next three years; such a percentage I cannot guarantee. Seems unnecessarily risky, don't you agree?"

"I assure you, I would be perfectly willing to-"

"Stop. The matter has been settled. Your sister has approached me with more flexible alternative." Even as her heart beat with agonizing panic and horror, Satsuki narrowed her eyes. Nui, your revenges are growing more sophisticated. "You will finish your education with your peers. When the time is right, you will model for REVOCs." Ragyo paused to rake her eyes up and down Satsuki's rigid body. "An altogether more dignified way to put your charisma to use, I think." Satsuki nearly sobbed as years of her work was instantly destroyed. "I'm sure you will be able to rein in that rather feisty demographic, I have complete faith in you."

Satsuki bowed, trying to hide the tears that had begun to form beneath her lids. She mumbled her acceptance and turned to go, but her mother was before her, gripping her by the lapel of her uniform and backing her up to sit on the edge of the desk. Bakuzan was extricated from her grasp and her mother scrutinized the sheathed blade.

"A silly memento, now that it lacks purpose."

Crack. Ragyo handed her the last few feet of the blade, broken off the hilt but still firmly sheathed. "Still, I am not a mother who can refuse her child. Take this, do what you want with it." Numbly, Satsuki took the end of her broken blade, automatically placing her thumb over the open end of the sheath so that the blade would not slide free. She felt as though her heart had also been broken over her mother's knee. A shuddering breath was all that she could manage. Ragyo chuckled, pushing her towards the door. "I'll expect you at dinner - we can discuss more then."

Outside her mother's office, Satsuki was met by her sister's sweetly smiling face.

"How'd everything go with Momma?" Roughly, Satsuki shoved her out of the way, muscling her way to the staircase into the foyer. Nui's smile swiftly melted into a sadistic leer.

"You'll regret that, Kiki."

"I don't doubt that I will."

Think. I need to think. Absently, she slid what was left of her most treasured possession into the umbrella stand. The front door slammed behind her. I can't come back until I have a new… a new. The tears started suddenly, and Satsuki began to run - she had to run. There was nothing left to do. I'll come back when I can…

Not knowing where she was going, Satsuki bought a ticket onto the metro. She didn't return home for dinner.

xxx

Ryuko wasn't sure why she didn't just get on her bike and drive away. A large part of it might have been that she had left her keys in Mako's apartment, but she had a nagging suspicion that she didn't actually want to get away. She didn't dare turn around, but she could hear Satsuki's footsteps racing behind her, growing closer.

Damn those long legs. Zigzagging into a nearby park, Ryuko struggled to keep her balance with both arms locked tightly around the laptop. Where can I go, goddamn it? she was just crossing a bridge when she was tackled from behind. Ryuko fell onto the cobbled bridge with a heavy thud, still scrambling for purchase even as her feet left the ground. Livid, Satsuki clawed her way up Ryuko's body and quite gracelessly sat on her, locking her fingers around the plastic casing of the machine.

"Give…it. To. Me!" Ryuko set her mouth and held on, just barely resisting the urge to stick out her tongue.

"What're you… afraid of, Kiryuin?" Satsuki stopped suddenly, releasing the laptop. Ryuko's arms jerked back at the sudden lack of tension, and she lost her grip on the slippery plastic. They both stared in transfixed awe as the poor little box of wires flew with a delicate twirl into the river. Returning her interest to Ryuko, Satsuki gripped her by the shirt, still sitting on her stomach.

"Afraid of? You have no idea what I'm afraid of, Matoi."

"Tell me, then, idiot!" Ryuko shoved her, jabbing her fist into her belly. "Just tell me."

"Goddamnit, Matoi, it's too late for that." And then suddenly their mouths were locked together, holding onto each other like there was nothing left in this world. Ryuko wasn't sure who had moved first, and although it was filled with sloppy passion and aggression, she was absolutely certain that this kiss wasn't stolen.

Their teeth bumped together as they struggled for a moment before melting into a slow, languid embrace. Ryuko pulled back a moment to randomly kiss Satsuki's cheek, and Satsuki growled and reclaimed her mouth, biting at her lip for daring to be so romantic. Ryuko chuckled against her mouth, but then finally pulled back, staring at Satsuki in utter astonishment, senses awash with surprise and unexpected pleasure. Ryuko melted at the sight of Satsuki's eyes glowing in the moonlight.

"You're adorable." Ryuko sighed.

Satsuki slapped her.

xxx

Mako sat on her couch in her footie pajamas, absently humming as she ate the fruit gushers that had fallen onto the floor.

Gotta clean this place up, she thought, staring intensely at the picture frames on the floor. She was startled from her reverie by a knock on the door.

"Two bits!" Mako sang, standing to open the door. To her great surprise, the door flew off of its hinges, blasting like a cannonball into the kitchen. Coughing at the dust, Mako squinted up at the girl leaning casually in her doorframe.

Woah, those are some huge pigtails…

"I think I found something you may have lost, cutie." Mako ignored her, choosing instead to stare at the broken front door lying next to the already destroyed pantry door.

What the hell am I going to tell my landlord?

xxx

Fighting, tension, fighting, tension, more fighting, more making out. That's how the Ryuko la Satsuki ship do :)